Character History

Charlie brings some meals to the table where Sheriff Davidson and Deputy Collins are sitting. Noticing that the Sheriff is having some difficulties with a crossword, Charlie simply gives the answer. Amazed, the officers begin to quiz Charlie on her amazing memory up until the point where Charlie jokes that they should ask if she remembers their credit card numbers. She then goes on to serve Hiro Nakamura and Ando Masahashi and recites a Japanese symbol on Hiro's jacket. When asked if she speaks the language, Charlie tells the men that she started to thumb through a Japanese phrase book last week. She tells them in Japanese that Tokyo is going to be one of her stops on her trip around the world. Ando finds it amazing that she learned all of this in one week and Charlie explains that her brain is able to remember lots and lots, whether she wants to or not. Charlie takes their orders and goes to get their food.

Later, Charlie sits with Hiro, who begins to teach her more Japanese. Charlie repeats a few phrases and is soon able to talk in perfect Japanese. She tells Hiro that she thinks he is sweet and that she likes the way his cheeks wobble when he concentrates. A bell rings and Charlie tells Hiro in Japanese that she will be right back. Later, she once again checks on him before making her way into the back room. While opening a can, Charlie hears noises but is unable to see anyone. Unbeknown-st to her, a murderous individual is hiding behind her. As Charlie opens the can, a slicing sound is heard and blood pours down from Charlie's emotionless face. Charlie then falls to the floor, dead. Hiro becomes determined to save her and tries to teleport back in time a day to warn her of her death and stop her from going to work.

Hirotravels back in time six months ago to April 24th and meets Charlie on her birthday. Charlie serves him and Hiro tries to tell her he is from the future. Charlie is confused and is then called over to take a photo with her birthday cake. Always kind, Charlie invites Hiro to be in the photo with her.

Hirotravels back in time six months ago to April 24th and meets Charlie on her birthday. Charlie serves him and Hiro tries to tell her he is from the future. Charlie is confused and is then called over to take a photo with her birthday cake. Always kind, Charlie invites Hiro to be in the photo with her. Hiro continues to plead with Charlie not to go to work tomorrow but then realizes that it is raining. Charlie comments it has been "April Showers", surprising Hiro, who realizes he has gone back too far. Charlie calms him down by offering him some cake.

Some time later, Hiro gives Charlie a Japanese phrasebook as a birthday present. He comments on how she learned Japanese quickly and she responds that "lately [I've] just been able to remember everything". He tries to explain to her that both she and he have powers. She doesn't believe him and dismisses his giving of flowers and serving her order as a magic trick. Hiro ends the conversation by saying "tomorrow the swallow will slay the dragons".

The next day Hiro shows the Japanese newspaper which she reads flawlessly that shows the Tokyo Swallows defeated the Junichi Dragons in baseball yesterday. She still doesn't believe him until he makes one thousand origami cranes appear instantaneously. He shows her two plane tickets to Japan that he has bought for them in order to escape Sylar and she agrees to go on the trip with him.

Some time later Hiro tells Charlie about a 24-hour samurai film festival in Austin and wants to take her to prepare for their trip to Japan. She then reveals to him that she has a blood clot in her brain, she is inches away from a brain aneurysm, and that she is dying. She tells Hiro that he saved her by making her feel alive and filling her life with more joy than she could imagine. She confesses to him, "Ai shiteru," which is Japanese for "I love you." When Hiro goes to kiss her, he disappears, returning back to Japan six months later at Yamagato Industries during calisthenics.

Hiro laments that he could not save Charlie, despite his best efforts. Later, at the Burnt Toast Cafe, Isaac shows Hiro a picture he drew of Charlie and Hiro, sitting and eating together. The sketch, of course, came true.

Later, Hiro tells Emma about how Charlie taught him to stay strong, even in the face of death and how she's the love of his life. Hiro decides to go back in time to save Charlie, adding it to his "bucket list", but Emma convinces him to wait for Peter to return and heal his braintumor first. Later, Hiro accidentally teleports three years back in time to the Burnt Toast Diner, seeing Charlie through the window.

Charlie approaches Sylar and asks to take his order. She serves him coffee and notices his watch and comments that it is a Sylar field edition. Charlie goes into deep detail about the watch's origins and Sylar believes her to be a collector. Charlie denies this stating that she read about it a week ago and that lately, she has just been remembering everything. Charlie is questioned by Sylar and she answers all the questions correctly. Sylar then asks her if the blood clot in her brain caused her memory talents and Charlie is shocked. She listens as Sylar explains that he can see how things work and repair them if necessary. Charlie looks at him as he orders pancakes.

Charlie doesn't believe she was meant to live.

Outside the Burnt Toast Diner, Hiro explains to Samuel that Charlie is the biggest butterfly and that it is worth the risk in order to save her. When Hiro returns to the diner, Charlie is gone. Charlie is in the storage room preparing some things. She thinks she hears something and looks around. Behind her, Sylar raises his hand and prepares to telekineticallyremove her brain. However, Hiro prevents this and saves Charlie. Charlie meets with Hiro in the storage room and the two embrace. He offers to take her anywhere in the world at that second and Charlie notices that he is serious. She decides on Otsu, Japan and begins to uncontrollably recite information on Otsu. Hiro snaps her out of it and Charlie realizes that the aneurysm has ruptured.

Later, Hiro returns to the diner with Sylar. They take Charlie into the storage room and offer to fix her brain. Charlie accepts that she is meant to die but Hiro states they are meant for each other. As poetry is recited to her, Charlie feels Sylar fix her brain. Her eye begins to briefly bleed and she realizes that her blood clot is gone. Charlie soon approaches Hiro and is angry with him. She says that Hiro cheated and wonders how he could let Sylar go on and kill so many people. Hiro claims that it is their "happily ever after" and that he loves her. Charlie believes he is selfish and leaves.

Charlie later apologizes to Hiro for acting so mean and thanks him for saving her life. She shows him an origami paper crane and tells him that she was trying to make one thousand so they could get their happy ending. She admits her love for Hiro and the two kiss. After the kiss, Charlie tells Hiro they should go and as they walk, Charlie is taken away by Arnold and Samuel. Samuel tricks Hiro into retaking control of his powers to teleport them back to the carnival in the present where Hiro finds Charlie's nametag. Samuel claims that Charlie is lost in time and that he is the only one who knows where she is as Arnold died after teleporting her. Samuel then makes Hiro a deal: he'll tell Hiro where to find Charlie if Hiro fixes things for Samuel that he messed up in the past.

At the carnival, Hiro is studying Charlie's name tag and Samuel comes over. Hiro demands for Samuel to return Charlie, but Samuel says that Hiro can free her by doing what Samuel wants. Samuel tells Hiro that once he gives him the film, he'll set Charlie free. Hiro warns that he isn't sure if he can time travel anymore and Samuel warns that he'll have to try very hard if he wants to save Charlie's life.

When Hiro returns, with the film. He asks for Charlie back, but Samuel refuses.

Hiro yells at Samuel, demanding to know where and when Charlie is. He threatens to kill him but Samuel warns him that if he dies, Charlie's location dies with him. Later, Hiro tells Lydia about Charlie and what Samuel did to her. After going back in time, Hiro is worried that Samuel will discover what happened and refuse to return Charlie to him.

Inside of Hiro's mind, a "court case" is being held against Hiro for abusing his powers. Sylar is called to the stand and recites a list of people he killed because Hiro saved Charlie. Hiro insists the world is better off with Charlie in it and Adam Monroe proceeds to call her to the stand. However, Charlie is unable to as she is lost in time. Adam asks why this is and Hiro admits it is his fault.

Charlie gives a message to a nurse and she gives it to Hiro. On the paper she tells Hiro to come find her. She also sends an origami crane with the note.

Later, Hiro enters the room of the girl who give him the note and finds an elderly woman. She addresses him as Hiro, and Hiro realizes that it's his Charlie, but many decades older. Charlie explains that Arnold was waiting for her outside of the Burnt Toast Diner, and took her through time to Milwaukee on January 26, 1944. She got a job in a munitions factory and lived the next 65 years. Hiro apologizes, explaining that Samuel sent her through time because Hiro loved her. Charlie tells Hiro that she would have waited for him, but she was middle-aged by the time he was born. She tells him that she is happy that she got to see him before she died. The brain aneurysm never troubled her, but everything else is about to give out. Hiro says that he can fix everything, and Ando takes his friend aside. Hiro says he'll go back to 1944 and save Charlie, and Ando asks who he's doing it for; Charlie, or himself. Hiro insists he's doing it for Charlie, and Ando walks out of the room.

After talks with Ando, Hiro explains his plan to Charlie. She says that it sounds like a good life, but she's already had a wonderful life. Charlie's granddaughter Sally comes in and Charlie introduces her to Hiro. Charlie sends her to bring her mother and father, and then explains she married a wonderful man and has had four children and seven grandchildren. She doesn't want to cause all of that to go away. Ando comes in and tells Hiro that he heard from Noah, who needs them now. Hiro looks in at Charlie as her family gathers around her, and realizes that he has saved her and his hero's journey is at an end. Ando tells him that Samuel is in Central Park, and destiny calls. Hiro bows to a touched Charlie and blows her a kiss, touches Ando, and teleports away while Charlie watches through the window.

Charlie has the ability to remember and recall vast amounts of information. She is easily able to retain and recall what she reads. She learned minutiae, languages, and complex information quickly without the need for repetition. Charlie used to be unaware of why she had this, or even that it was a special ability -- she only knew that her brain began working faster than it used to.

Memorable Quotes

"She was real. She was fleshy. She had a smile that could melt butter like a hot waffle."

Notes

Saving Charlie is a book about Hiro's relationship with Charlie. According to the book, both of Charlie's parents are deceased and she was raised by her aunt.

Charlie's birthday was "about six months ago" (April 24). When Hiro went back in time in an attempt to save her, he gave her a Japanese phrasebook as a birthday present. However, Charlie had also received a Japanese phrasebook for her birthday in the original timeline. Since Hiro was not at Charlie's birthday party in the original timeline (see picture), it is unknown who gave this phrasebook to her (it is possible that this is a Predestination Paradox, although this would raise the question of why Hiro did not appear in her birthday photo until he went back in time).

While Charlie's formal name is not fully shown on the list, Mohinder says that "Charlene Andrews" was killed "two days ago, Midland, Texas." (Fallout)